Bush Opposes Plan For Minority Grants

Administration: Similar Programs Already Exist

July 23, 2003|By DAVID LERMAN Washington Bureau

WASHINGTON — The Bush administration declared its opposition Tuesday to a bill pushed by Virginia lawmakers that would create a grant program for computer technology at historically black and other minority-serving colleges and universities.

Breaking months of official silence, the administration said such a program would duplicate current efforts and would raise "constitutional concerns" because of the use of race in determining a school's eligibility for grant money.

The bill, sponsored by Sen. George Allen, R-Va., and Rep. J. Randy Forbes, R-Chesapeake, would authorize $1.25 billion over the next five years for grants to minority-serving schools to buy computers, upgrade their technology and help train teachers in math and science.

Supporters say the measure is needed to close the "digital divide" that has left many historically black, Hispanic and tribal colleges without the same access to computer technology as their majority-white, often richer counterparts. Many historically black schools in Virginia, including Hampton University and Norfolk State University, are among those lobbying on the bill's behalf.

But critics of affirmative action, such as the California-based American Civil Rights Institute and the Virginia-based Center for Equal Opportunity, have protested the awarding of grant money based on a school's racial make-up instead of economic need.

Coming down on the side of critics, the Department of Commerce, which would run the grant program, sent a letter Tuesday to the House Science Committee registering its opposition.

Financial assistance for computer technology is already provided through the Department of Education, wrote Brenda Becker, assistant secretary for legislative and intergovernmental affairs at the Department of Commerce.

"Accordingly, the administration opposes the creation of a duplicative program that is inconsistent with the president's budget," Becker wrote.

"In addition, I am advised that the Department of Justice has raised constitutional concerns about the definition of 'eligible institution' in the legislation," she said. The bill defines eligible schools based on racial categories, although the most recent draft includes a new reference to schools "with an enrollment of needy students."

Forbes, the chief sponsor of the bill in the House, dismissed the administration's objections, saying they come from "a very low-level bureaucrat." He said he remained optimistic that the White House will support the bill if it clears Congress and wins funding.

Allen, too, continued to express hope that the bill will succeed, saying in a statement: "I will continue to work for what I know is right -- to improve all college students' ability to learn by closing the opportunity gap, or digital divide."

The House Science Committee approved the bill Tuesday on an unrecorded voice vote, despite Becker's letter. The measure flew through the Senate on a unanimous vote last spring with little debate.

"I know the administration has objections to this bill," said Rep. Sherwood Boehlert, R-N.Y., the House Science Committee chairman. "But I believe we should move forward, as the Senate did, and we can see if there are any ways to accommodate administration concerns."

The dispute marks a rare public split between the Bush White House and Allen and Forbes -- both conservative Republicans.

Ideology aside, the two men have strong political interests in coming to the aid of historically black and other minority schools.

Allen, chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, is eager to woo more African-Americans to the GOP as he campaigns for Republican Senate candidates across the country. And Forbes, whose southside district is about one-third black, has the second highest concentration of African-American voters among all Republican House members.

In arguing for his bill, Forbes said 96 percent of students at the majority-white University of Richmond have computers, while only 10 percent do at the majority-black Virginia State University in Petersburg.

But Rep. Nick Smith, R-Mich., expressed doubts about the fairness of the grant program.

"There's no question in my mind that traditionally black colleges need the help," Smith said. "But there are a lot of other students and institutions that need the help," he added, citing women's colleges and community colleges.

David Lerman can be reached at (202) 824-8224 or by e-mail at dlerman@tribune.com.